1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a rotary input device which can be applied to an input operation or the like in a combination switch for a vehicle or various electronic devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
In Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Registration Application Publication No. 60-48203, a rotary type electronic component is disclosed, which uses a substrate on which a plurality of arc-shaped conductive patterns having a common center and diameters different from each other are formed, and a slider which is provided to be rotatable with respect to the substrate and slides on each conductive pattern. Switching between a contact state and a non-contact state between the slider and each conductive pattern is generated according to a rotation angle of the slider, and thus, a signal corresponding to the rotation angle is obtained.
In the above-described rotary type electronic component of the related art, an end edge of the conductive pattern positioned in an innermost diameter region closest to a rotation center of the slider on the substrate is used as a boundary at which connection states between the conductive pattern and the slider are switched. That is, the rotation angle when switching between the contact state and the non-contact state between the slider and the conductive pattern on the end edge of the conductive pattern positioned in the innermost diameter region is generated is set to a rotation angle (hereinafter, referred to as a “switching operation angle”) when switching between ON and OFF states is generated according to a rotation input operation.
Meanwhile, as the end edge (hereinafter, referred to as a “connection boundary edge”) of the conductive pattern at which the connection states between the conductive pattern and the slider are switched becomes closer to the rotation center of the slider, the requirements for the accuracy of the switching operation angle becomes stricter. That is, errors of the rotation angle converted into a length of a deviation between the slider and conductive pattern increase as the connection boundary edge become closer to the rotation center. Accordingly, it is necessary to set the accuracy of dimensions or disposition of a component according to the connection boundary edge positioned closest to the rotation center. Therefore, in a case where a plurality of rows of conductive patterns are arranged in a radial direction about the rotation center, since a high-level component accuracy is required according to the connection boundary edge of the innermost diameter conductive pattern, there is a problem that a manufacturing cost may increase.